Maranzano: Teachers Shouldn't Fear Growing Class Sizes

With Hopatcong's school district looking to fill at least some of the seven spots retiring teachers left this summer, Superintendent Dr. Charles Maranzano wrote in his blog new teachers should be ready to face large class sizes.

"The teacher who masters the ability to design and deliver effective instructional practices for larger classes may have a marketable skill in the new reality of public education: increased class sizes," Maranzano said.

He continued: "I am guessing that the teacher who proves to be particularly effective with higher numbers of students will be in demand in the no so far future of America's public schools."

The district's student-teacher ratio, according to school statistics, was 12.4 in 2008-2009. In 2009-2010, it rose to 12.5 and in 2010-2011 it jumped to 13.8. The district lost 40 positions from 2008-2010, but no teachers were cut this spring despite the school budget failing for the eighth straight year.

In the post, Maranzano singled out former college professor for presenting "educational colleagues with a blueprint for effective teaching behaviors and a realistic profile of the characteristics of excellent teaching."

Maranzano said reports of school districts nationwide facing tough economic times lead him to believe that "one of the effective teaching qualities those of us responsible for hiring and mentoring new teachers will be the ability teach and manage large numbers of students."

Click here to read Maranzano's full blog post.